It is not difficult to grow bedding plants from seeds, and you may be surprised to know you do not need to have a greenhouse or some hot room to grow them in. I have managed to grow my plants by placing them in an old carton/pot covered in a polythene bag. However, please remember to leave the pot where sunlight can get to it, i.e., a window ledge or a balcony.

In a previous article I have advised purchasing seedlings and bulbs from places like, a local fair or pound shop ( quite a phenomena here in the UK). Most magazine tend to have quite good offers on seedlings as well. Alternatively you can buy a young plant which means you do not have to incubate them like the seedlings.

Bedding plants are cheaper when bought in trays and can be bought from most garden centres and the like. Although, if you can afford it, it maybe worthwhile buying them in pots as they generally tend to grow better.

Alternatively you can buy young plants, called plugs, but please do check for obvious signs, such as leaves going yellow or mouldy.

Gardening can be cheap and fun as well and if done regularly, does not really need to take up a lot of time. A simple well kept lawn, surrounded by small flower beds, can make a big difference to your garden. Remember a lot of these items can be bought online for real cheap. Check out www.lawn-mower-parts.info, for further information.

Do remember to water your plants regularly, especially in hot weather.

John Sanders

Took up gardening recently and really enjoying it.

http://www.lawn-mower-parts.info

It is never possible to entirely rid your garden of weeds, but even weeds that seem difficult to remove can be overcome and with persistent effort and a lot of patience annual weeds will diminish each season if you keep on killing off the seedlings before they can flower and generate more weed seeds.

Once you have managed to reduce the population of weeds a programme of mulching and prompt weed clearance as soon as they appear will keep your garden almost weed-free.

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is a quick process however, as weed clearance can take a couple of garden seasons before weeds are effectively removed. It is more evident if you have been neglecting your garden so keep on top of things for great results.

Deep-rooted perennial weeds and the types of weeds that have long roots which penetrate deep into the ground are best removed by using a fork to dig them up. Use the fork to make the roots loose and hold the weed stem as close to the base as possible when you pull it out of the ground, ensuring you pull up the whole of the weed if possible.

If you do not manage to pull out all of the root then new weeds will continue to grow.

Using to hoe to control weeds is another good method of weed management, but it is a job which needs to be carried out regularly. Make sure to hoe the garden beds and borders and remember not to neglect the vegetable garden if you have one.

Weedkillers are another useful option in the battle against weeds and are very helpful if you need to clear an area of weeds quickly and efficiently. Some types of weedkiller have been designed to kill only the top growth of weeds allowing you to plant in the same area after a day or so of applying the weedkiller.

Some types of weedkiller have been designed to kill the whole weed, including the root. Depending on the type of weedkiller and the weed to be removed you may need to either spray the affected area or paint the weedkiller formulation directly onto the weed itself.

Always consult the directions that accompany the weedkiller before use and if in doubt ask for advice at your local garden centre or weedkiller supplier.

Another effective method of controlling weeds is to use mulch, especially in the vegetable and fruit garden. Plastic sheeting placed around the base of plants and vegetables is also a money-saving method of keeping weeds to a minimum, however it can sometimes not be that attractive from an aesthetic point of view in the garden.

When applying a mulch, such as chipped bark, garden compost or cocoa shells, make an effort to clear the ground of all weeds first and then spread the mulch at least 5cm (2in) thick. Ensuring an even layer of mulch to the appropriate thickness should keep most weeds from growing through the mulch layer.

Keep up the battle against weeds in your garden and you will be rewarded with less and less weeds in the garden every season.

For further advice and timely tips on all aspects of gardening, please visit The Seasonal Gardener

For specific gardening jobs and tips, please visit The Seasonal Gardener website.

Fruit tree are usually very beautiful in spring and in fall. Spring because they are full of flowers, and fall because they are full of fruits.

Many species, such as crabapple, cotoneaster, prunus and cherry, are beauty themselves. Often such specimen can cost alot in specialized garden nursery. One way to cheaply acquire a tree is to propagate them. Fruit tree can be reproduce with seeds or cuttings. Seeds is the easiest but longest method. You can buy seeds or collect them.

The best time to gather fruit tree seeds is in fall, when leaves are starting to drop. At this time, you are certain that the fruits are mature, hence the seeds are also. So, you can pick as many fruits as you need seeds. Some species, have more then one seed per fruit.

The method to clean and prepare the seeds is simple. For fleshy fruit, such as cotoneaster cranberry, crabapple or cherry, you can fill a bowl of hot water, but not boiling water. In the water, you gather the fruits and rub them with your fingers till the flesh is fully removed from the seeds.

Once you have separate the loose flesh pulp from the seeds, you can gather the seeds in a new bowl, pour some boiling water on it, to clean the seeds. Empty the water, keep the seeds, and repeat the process of boiling water.

You will then need to sterilize the seeds. This can be accomplish by laying the seeds on a paper towel on a cookie tray. On a sunny day, you leave the seeds in the biscuit tray under the sun, for at least 4 hours and till they become dry to to the touch.

You can store your seeds, in a dry ziplock bag in the veggie compartment of your fridge till you are ready to germinate/sow your seeds. For further germination instructions you can refer to my articles on my website.